Earthing System World Wide and it’s Evolution
In my work I meet consulting engineers who have recently immigrated from Europe or Asia, and who find North American grounding and bonding terminology to be confusing. So I read up on the attached cahier techniques by Schneider Electric to understand what language they were used to, so that I could better explain the equivalent concepts here.
Our ungrounded and impedance grounded systems are called “IT” systems in IEC lingo.
- A solidly grounded system with a separate bonding conductor and neutral conductor is called a “TN-S” system.
- Our “bonding conductor” is their “protective conductor”, abbreviated as “PE.”
- Where the neutral and bonding conductors are in parallel, or often the same conductor from the utility transformer to the customer service equipment, this portion of the circuit would be their “TN-C” system.
I find the subject of grounding and bonding fascinating, as you do, and I learned new perspectives reading about how they do it in IEC countries. After all, the physics and objectives are the same across the oceans.
Best Regards,
David Murray
I-Gard (formerly IPC Resistors)
Click here for – The IT Earthing System
Click here for – Earthing System in LV
Click here for – Earthing Systems Worldwide and Evolutions
Mike’s Comment: Dave thank you and your organization so much for your technical support at our Grounding versus Bonding seminars across the country. Click here to view a schedule of all my seminars.
